It was not easy. As a member of the team that worked for Dr. Kimball on this budget, I saw the number of central office staff members who worked tirelessly to find solutions. There was a huge amount of work that went into gathering and analyzing all the public input and into figuring out many different creative ways to cut the budget while remaining true to that input and our budget priorities. It would have been way easier to just follow the state cuts. But it would have been wrong.

 

The good news is that our classrooms will remain whole. We won't be losing teachers or facing larger classes. But that doesn't mean there won't be an impact. We've managed to use some creative budgeting to move a few items from one category to another to take more advantage of the federal stimulus money. But there will be real pain in some areas.

 

That's the down side of the announcement. Once we finish the sighs of relief or cheers, there are the details that reflect real, serious cuts. Families will have to bear the larger fees. PTSAs will be asked to do even more fund raising to help pay for those students and families who can't afford them.

 

Some teachers will lose stipends they have built into their personal budgets. On a teacher's salary, every addition to that income is vital.

 

Principals will have a harder job next year. They will have to figure out how to get the work done that was paid for through stipends for extra duties. They will have less money in the budget as well.

 

The central office will have fewer people and less money to do as much or more work. Our ability to respond to parent and school needs will be reduced.